2026 NFL Mock Draft 7.0
The latest look at how the 2026 NFL Draft could play out following the NFL Combine and the Rams trade with the Chiefs for Trent McDuffie.
1. Las Vegas Raiders - Fernando Mendoza (QB/Indiana)
This one is pretty much set in stone. The Raiders land their franchise signal caller and have some building blocks on offense with him, Ashton Jeanty and Brock Bowers.
2. New York Jets - Arvell Reese (LB/Ohio State)
An opening for an edge rusher became more apparent in New York after trading Jermaine Johnson II to the Titans. Quarterback, of course, is a need here and the Jets are the one team with enough firepower to make a deal with the Raiders, but it’s hard to imagine that scenario plays out.
3. Arizona Cardinals - Francis Mauigoa (OT/Miami FL)
The Cardinals have a number of directions they can go in as they move on from Kyler Murray, but finding a stalwart tackle is a priority.
4. Tennessee Titans - Jeremiyah Love (RB/Notre Dame)
During the combine, rumors emerged that the Titans see Love at the best player in the class. Tennesee has a plethora of needs, but they are flush wish cap space, so if they check off a lot of boxes in free agency, this pick doesn’t seem as surprising.
5. New York Giants - Sonny Styles (LB/Ohio State)
Styles saw his stock rise after a strong showing at the combine and the Giants reportedly took notice. A staple of John Harbaugh defenses in Baltimore have been a strong man in the middle.
6. Cleveland Browns - Carnell Tate (WR/Ohio State)
The Browns have a number of issues on offense, including having to replace their entire starting offensive line. Ultimately, they need to take the best player available, especially since they are armed with two picks. Tate would give whoever is throwing the ball next season in Cleveland a true No. 1 target.
7. Washington Commanders - David Bailey (EDGE/Texas Tech)
Bailey is an elite pass-rushing specialist who tied for the FBS lead with 14.5 sacks in 2025, utilizing an explosive first step and a polished repertoire of moves to dominate off the edge. While his lighter frame and struggles anchoring against the run raise some three-down concerns, his high-motor playing style and game-wrecking speed make him a dynamic addition to Washington’s defensive front.
8. New Orleans Saints - Jordyn Tyson (WR/Arizona State)
Tyson is a prototypical X-receiver who pairs refined route-running with an elite ability to earn targets, having blossomed into a premier wideout under the mentorship of coach Hines Ward. Despite a 2025 season partially hampered by hamstring issues, his vertical ball skills and high-point timing make him a lethal red-zone threat and a perfect schematic fit opposite Chris Olave. His combination of technical polish and competitive nature at the catch point suggests a high-floor starter capable of immediate NFL production.
9. Kansas City Chiefs - Mansoor Delane (CB/LSU)
The Chiefs just traded Trent McDuffie, so cornerback help has become a more pressing need. Kansas City has a number of directions they can go in here, including Rueben Bain, whose stock is falling due to his short arms, or Kenyon Sadiq, who had a strong combine.
10. Cincinnati Bengals - Caleb Downs (S/Ohio State)
Downs is a generational safety prospect and Thorpe Award winner who brings elite instincts and “Swiss Army knife” versatility to a Bengals defense in desperate need of a leader. He excels as a disruptive playmaker in the box and a reliable presence in coverage, projecting as a Day 1 starter who can immediately elevate the entire secondary. His rare football IQ and high-floor consistency make him a home-run selection for a team looking to regain its defensive identity.
11. Miami Dolphins - Makai Lemon (WR/USC)
Despite his, let’s call it unorthodox, interview at the combine, Lemon should still be considered at the top half of the draft. Miami just released Tyreek Hill so Lemon would slide into his spot.
12. Dallas Cowboys - Rueben Bain (EDGE/Miami FL)
The Cowboys replacement for Micah Parsons, Bain had a stellar campaign and was in consideration for a top-five pick, but his short arm measurement at the combine are causing his stock to tumble.
13. Los Angeles Rams - Spencer Fano (OT/Utah)
Fano is a highly decorated technician and Outland Trophy winner who pairs elite athleticism with some of the best footwork in the tackle class. While his shorter arm measurements (32 1/8″) have sparked some debate about a potential move to guard, his lateral quickness and mirroring ability make him a premium candidate to shore up the Rams’ pass protection. He is a high-floor starter who excels in space and brings immediate, All-American reliability to Los Angeles’ offensive front.
14. Baltimore Ravens - Olaivavega Ioane (IOL/Penn State)
Ioane is a massive, powerful “enforcer” who plays with a physical mean streak and elite grip strength, making him a dominant force in gap-heavy run schemes. A highly refined pass protector, he allowed zero sacks during the 2025 season and possesses the high football IQ necessary to pick up complex stunts and blitzes instantly. His ability to displace defenders at the point of attack makes him an ideal schematic fit for Baltimore’s identity as a physical, run-first offense.
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Kenyon Sadiq (TE/Oregon)
It would not surprise me if Sadiq went in the top 10 or if a team trades up to take him following his combine performance. Sadiq’s blocking is also a notch above most college tight ends which will help him acclimate to the NFL.
16. New York Jets - Aveion Terrell (CB/Clemson)
It’s still hard to believe the Jets did not record a single interception in 2025. They traded Sauce Gardner to the Colts at the deadline and now use one of the picks they acquired from Indianapolis to draft his successor.
17. Detroit Lions - Keldric Faulk (EDGE/Auburn)
Faulk is a massive, physical defensive end who provides Detroit with an elite run-stopping presence and the versatility to slide inside on passing downs. Standing 6’6″ and 285 pounds, his violent play style and relentless motor make him an ideal “heavy” complement to pull attention away from Aidan Hutchinson. Although his pass-rush production dipped in 2025, his rare combination of length and high-floor consistency makes him a day-one impact player for the Lions’ defensive front.
18. Minnesota Vikings - Caleb Banks (DL/Florida)
Banks is a rare physical specimen who stands 6’6″ and 330 pounds, possessing a massive 85.75-inch wingspan that ranks in the 99th percentile for defensive tackles. Despite a foot injury that sidelined him for most of the 2025 season, his elite performance at the 2026 Combine, highlighted by a 5.04-second 40-yard dash, solidified his status as a high-upside interior disruptor. He brings a “boom-or-bust” profile to Minnesota, offering the quickness to penetrate gaps as a 3-technique while still needing to refine his pad level and run-stopping consistency.
19. Carolina Panthers - Akheem Mesidor (EDGE/Miami FL)
Mesidor is a highly technical and relentless pass rusher who pairs an expansive bag of moves. His versatility allows him to disrupt from the edge or kick inside as a 3-technique, where his explosive first step and leverage frequently overwhelm interior blockers. While his lack of prototypical length and age (turning 25 as a rookie) may limit his ultimate ceiling, his high-floor polish and immediate pass-rush utility make him an ideal fit for a Panthers defense looking for a refined bookend.
20. Dallas Cowboys - C.J. Allen (LB/Georgia)
Allen is a high-IQ “green dot” linebacker and consensus All-American who served as the heartbeat of the Georgia defense, leading the Bulldogs with 85 tackles and 3.5 sacks in 2025. He is an elite run defender with exceptional gap discipline and a low missed-tackle rate, though he can sometimes struggle in man coverage against elite vertical speed. His leadership and “superpower” for elevating teammates make him a safe, high-floor anchor for a Cowboys defense in need of a dependable middle linebacker.
21. Pittsburgh Steelers - Denzel Boston (WR/Washington)
While Aaron Rodgers’status lingers, Pittsburgh focuses on adding weapons. Boston has drawn comparisons to Puka Nacua through the draft process.
22. Los Angeles Chargers - T.J. Parker (EDGE/Clemson)
The Chargers confirmed that Khalil Mack is returning in 2026, but he is 35 and midseason acquisition Odaffe Oweh is entering free agency. Not to mention, breakout star Tuli Tuipulotu is in his contract year in 2026, mavign the edge a sleeper issue for the Chargers.
23. Philadelphia Eagles - Monroe Freeling (OT/Georgia)
Freeling is a “skyrocketing” prospect who recently turned in a historic 2026 Combine performance, posting a near-perfect 9.99 RAS that included a blazing 4.93-second 40-yard dash. While he needs to continue adding functional strength to his frame to anchor against elite power, his rare athletic ceiling and high-level SEC experience make him the perfect long-term successor to Lane Johnson, who is turning 36 in May.
24. Cleveland Browns - Kadyn Proctor (OT/Alabama)
A behemoth of a man, Proctor would slide in immediately at right tackle or guard for the Browns,providing some versatiity for a team who is losing their entire starting offensive line to free agency.
25. Chicago Bears - Dillon Thieneman (S/Oregon)
Thieneman is a high-IQ “centerfield” safety who pairs elite production with a historic 2026 Combine performance, where he clocked a 4.35-second 40-yard dash and a 41-inch vertical. His arrival in Chicago provides an immediate, cost-controlled solution for a secondary that entered the 2026 offseason with its top four safeties hitting free agency.
26. Buffalo Bills - Kevin Concepcion (WR/Texas A&M)
A Rochester native with strong ties to the Buffalo area, Concepcion is an electric “do-it-all” playmaker and Paul Hornung Award winner who averaged 15.1 yards per catch in his lone season with the Aggies. He is arguably the best player in the 2026 class after the catch, combining elite short-area quickness with the versatility to contribute as a receiver, runner, and a high-end punt returner. While his smaller 5’11” frame and occasional concentration drops are minor concerns, his ability to manufacture touches and separate at all three levels makes him an ideal explosive weapon for Josh Allen.
27. San Francisco 49ers - Caleb Lomu (OT/Utah)
Trent Williams’ future with the team is up in the air, but it would be wise to find a successor for the soon-to-be 38-year-old anyway.
28. Houston Texans - Peter Woods (DL/Clemson)
Once considered a lock for the top 10, Woods slides to the late first round following a disappointing 2026 Combine where his lack of prototypical length — measuring in with sub-31-inch arms — raised major concerns about his ability to shed NFL-caliber blocks. Despite these physical limitations, he remains a “built-in-a-lab” interior disruptor who pairs elite first-step quickness with a massive 700-pound squat. While his 2025 production was modest, his high-floor run defense and ability to chase down ball carriers make him a high-value pick for DeMeco Ryans’ defensive front.
29. Kansas City Chiefs - Omar Cooper Jr. (WR/Indiana)
Cooper Jr. is a rugged, “Deebo Samuel-lite” playmaker who led the Big Ten in yards per catch and solidified his first-round stock with a blazing 4.42-second 40-yard dash at the 2026 Combine. He excels as a high-volume target over the middle and a monster after the catch, using his stocky frame to absorb contact and break tackles with ease. His selection becomes a necessity for Kansas City as Rashee Rice faces a highly uncertain future, currently navigating a $1 million civil lawsuit for alleged domestic violence and a 2024 felony high-speed crash that has left his long-term availability in serious doubt.
30. Denver Broncos - Lee Hunter (DL/Texas Tech)
Nicknamed “The Fridge,” Hunter is a massive, 320-pound interior anchor who earned First-Team All-American honors after leading a Texas Tech defense that ranked among the nation’s best against the run. He possesses “heavy hands” and elite lower-body power, making him a nearly immovable force at the point of attack who can consistently swallow double teams to free up his linebackers. While he offers limited utility as a pass rusher beyond a powerful bull rush, his ability to dominate the “dirty work” in the trenches makes him a high-floor rotational piece for a Broncos defense looking to stiffen its interior.
31. New England Patriots - Zion Yong (EDGE/Missouri)
Young is a prototypical “Patriot-style” defender who pairs elite 6’6″ length with the raw power to two-gap and reset the line of scrimmage in the run game. After a breakout 2025 campaign where he led the SEC in pressures (56) and earned First-Team All-SEC honors, he cemented his first-round status with a dominant “Senior Bowl Player of the Game” performance in Mobile, Ala. While he is still refining his pass-rush counters and overall sack-finish, his relentless motor and “controlled violence” make him a versatile chess piece who can set a hard edge or kick inside to disrupt the pocket.
32. Seattle Seahawks - Brandon Cisse (CB/South Carolina)
Cisse is an elite athlete who verified his “Glitch” nickname at the 2026 Combine, posting a 41.5-inch vertical and a 10’11” broad jump. While he is still refining his zone-coverage instincts and can be overly aggressive to the point of being “grabby,” his exceptional recovery speed and physical press-man technique make him an ideal project for a Seahawks secondary that values high-upside traits. Having already met with the Super Bowl LX champion Seahawks during the draft process, he projects as a high-ceiling developmental starter who can eventually flourish as a lockdown boundary corner.
